Vehicle brake



.h gne 1 6, 1930. w. s. s'rocKToN VEHICLE BRAKE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed May 24, 1928 IIH INVENTOR.v WILL/AM 5. 5mg/fron ATTORNEY June' 10, `1930. w. s. sTockToN VEHICLE` BRAKE Filed May 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. W11. L/AM Smc/fron ATTORNEY i 35 mechanical advantage Patented June 1 o, 1930 UNiTl-:D STATES .PATENT OFFICE WILLLIAM S. STOCKTON, F TOLEDO,' 0HIO,'ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLYS-OVERLAND l002ML- PANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO Y l VEHICLE BAKE Application led May 24, 1928. Serial No. 280,172.

My invention relates to vehicle brakes and it has particular application to brakes of the internal expanding type.

The present invention deals with internal 5 brakes for automobiles and `is peculiarly adapted for application to wheels which support the weight of the chassis through a direct spring suspension, that is, without the conventional rigid front axle, the spring sus` pension being intended to permit relatively Vertical movement of the two front wheels.

The kinvention is not limited, however, to the spring suspension type but may be applied to vehicles embodying a rigid front axle.

Since the front wheels must be free to permit of steering the vehicle and since the wheels may be moved vertically independently of each other, it is essential that the brake connections function under these various conditions. i

One object of this invention is toprovide a compact brake expanding mechanism which will allow for the diversiiied movements of the wheels without impairing its eliiciency as .25 a brake.

In line with the fo mer object, the present invention contempla es the provision of a structurewherein the brake expanding mechanism is actuated in a plane which is in vertical alignment with the axis of the drumas well as adjacent the axis of the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination of levers and cams which is compact and yet, which will give a suitable An additional object of the invention is to provide a compact resilient means forreturning the actuating mechanism to its normal released position. l

These, together with other objects of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the drawings and description relating thereto, which set forth one embodiment of my invention which may be preferred.

Figure I is an elevational view illustrating the spring suspension, together with the means for actuating the brake. l

Fig. Il is a plan view of the structure il- 50 lgstrated Figure for brake purposes.l

Fig. III is an elevational View taken along the line III-III of Fig. I and illustrates 'the details of the brake expanding mechanism.

Fig. IV is a view of the cable guide, taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. I. v

Fig. V is a deta-ilvview of the expanding band.

Fig. VI is a sectional View of the cam actuating means, taken along the line VI-Vl in Figure III.

Fig. VII is a perspective View of the band expanding lever; and

Fig. VIII is an end view of the expanding band lug taken along the line VIlI-VIII of Figure V. f

lnasmuch as the details of construction of leaf springaxles are well known in the art, only those elements havin a bearing upon the present invention will e referred to in the course of the description. It is to be borne inmind, however, that the invention is not'limited to any particular type of axle, although it may well be adapted to such an embodiment j In practising my invention I provide a vehicle frame including longitudinal and transverse members,l 10 and 11 respectively, from f which'there issuspended a transverse leaf spring l2 and the mass of the vehicle and spring in turn, is suspended lfrom the steering knuckle 13 through a ball socket joint 14. A substantially vertical alignment of the knuckle is maintained by means of an arm l5, one end of which is joined to the frame by a 85 pressed steel ball and socket joint 16 that perj mits of movement in a vertical pla-ne; whereas movement in a horizontal plane is provided by a joint 17 at the other end of the arm which joins the steering knuckle. The upper end of the knuckle ishollow and includes a right-angle guide 18 through which a cable 19 extends that interconnects the brake pedal mechanism (not shown) with the brake expanding elements, hereinafter to be de# scribed. l

Since the steering knuckle 13 is freely supported by a ball and socket joint 14 at its base and ball and socket joint 17. at its upper extremitys it is apparent that the wheel ay be pivoted about norizontal and vertical axes. The steering movement4 is accomplished through a seriesof steering connecting rods 11i. a manner well understood bythose skilled in the art.

A hollow drum which is secure-d in-v Within the bifurcated lug abrake' and ex-l panding lever 31 is pivotally supportedgin-l termediate its extremities, its normal released 4 position being maintained by means of a spring 32 which is secured to the lever and slidably engages the lug 29. One end of the lever contacts a bearing surface33-Wliicli forms one extremity of the band, Whereas the other end of the lever engages and is actua.-

ated by a cam 34. Two coil springs` urge the brake band into a released position, one end of each being secured tothe plate, whereas the other is secured to the brake band. Adjacent the bifurcated lug, a pin 37 is rigidly anchored to the plate which functions to resist the tendency by the band to rotate upon application of the brake band to the rotating drum and thereby prevents the transi the plate.

i angle guide referred to above,

mission of forces back through the train of elements by which the brake is energized.

A` stub'shaft 38 is pivotally mounted in The cam member 34 is keyed to this shaft on one side of the plate, whereas on the other side thereof a cable actuating arm 40 is rigidly secured thereto. It will be noted that the free extremity of the cable arm terminates substantially in alignment with the drum axis. Furthermore as the arm is pivoted upwardly the vertical alignment -is substantially maintained. One end of the cable 19, which passes through the rightis secured to the free end of the cable arm, the other end of the cable extending to the brake pedal (not shown).

In applyino' the brakes', the cable 19,is drawn 1n the irection indicated by the arrow in Fi ure 1, by a foot pedal, for example, where y the cable arm 40 is actuated u wardly and causes the cam to rotate in tlIie same direction. One arm of' the brake expanding lever 3l being in engagement with the arm, movement of the cam in the course of the application of thebrake rotates the lever in a clockwise direction about its pivot'al point. The motion thus imparted to theV lever tends to sfpead the brake band thereb brin ing it mly against the periphery o the rum. Such movement also subjects' being illustrated, rotates withl the wheel the sprin 32 to a strain which, upon release of the bra e, will tend to rotate the lever in a counter-clockwise direction and return the same to' its normal released position. The band is likewise returned to its normal i'eleased position by the coil spring 35. Since the extent of the movement of the cable arm is restricted, its free end remains adjacent the axis of the drum whereby movement of about this vertical axis is possible Vwithout impairing the effectiveness of the brake. For the same reason, any vertical movement of the wheel produced by the irregularities of the highway and resulting in the iiexure of' the spring, does not interfere with the operation of the brake.

The arrangement of the cam and levers is such as to produce any desired mechanical advantage Without redesigning the entire brake.I Moreover, the construction aii'oids an elicient compact arrangement that is susceptible to adjustment and change Without materially altering its arrangement or lles1 glthough the invention has been described vas it applies to a vehicle having a flexible front axle, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention isnot so limited but may be extended'to other embodiments without departing from the spirit thereof and I desire, therefore', that it 'be limited only as. indicated in the 4appended claims. v

I claim:

1. The combination with a dirigible Wheel having a substantially vertical axisof a brake drum, an expandible brake band disposed within the drum, a supporting plate disposed adjacent the drum in spaced relation tothe axis, adapted to oscillate about said axis and y forming an enclosed chamber with the drum,

a band expanding lever pivotally secured to one end ofthe brake band and enga-geable, with the other end of the brake band, a cam pivotally mounted in the plate, adapted to eilgage the lever an arm operatively connected to the' cam and adapted to actuate said cam, said arm lhaving a portion thereof projecting toward said axis, and a cable in alignment with the axis operatively connected to the arm portion. v

2. In an internal brake including a drum, an expanding means for engaging the drum, a stationary plate adjacent the drum and` forming an enclosed chamber therewith, a

vpivotalole lever supported intermediate its extremities on one end of the band, one end of the rever being engageable with the opposite end of the band, a cam pivotally mounted in the plate adapted to engage and actuate the opposite extremity of the lever, a leaf spring to secure the lever adapted to urge said lever into a released position, and means secured to the cam for oscillating same.

32 In an internal brake including a drum,

Ian expanding means for engaging the drum,

v forming v ed to oscillate the same,

a stationary plate adjacent the drum and an enclosed chamber therewith, a pivotable lever supported intermediate its extremities secured to one end of the band one end of the lever being engageable with the opposite end of the band, a shaft pivotally supported in the plate a cam secured thereto adapted to engage the opposite extremity of the band and actuate the same and a cable arm likewise secured to the shaft for imparting oscillatory motion thereto the free end of said cable arm being substantially in vertical alignment with the axis ofkthe drum.

4. In an internal brake, including a drum, an expanding means for engaging the drum, a lever pivotally supported intermediate its extremities, one end thereof being adapted to act-nate the expanding means, a cam disposed adjacent lthe lever for engaging the other end thereof, and a lever secured to the cam, adaptthe free end of said lever being substantially in alignment with the axis of the drum.

In testimony whereof, I ax my signature.

WILLIAM s. SVTOCKTON. 

